Updating passport and residence card

I�fve been working in Japan for two years now. My passport and residence card have a photo of me where I was much heavier with short blonde hair. I�fve lost a bit of weight, grown my hair out, and dyed it back to my natural black color. Personally I don�ft think I look that different, but all of my Japanese friends are so shocked. They say I look like a totally different person. I�fll be flying around Japan for the first time and am worried about having my passport and residence card checked. Is there anything I can/should do?

For domestic flights, they don't normally check ID (keep in mind that Japan does not have national ID cards like many other countries do, though arguably now the My Number card could serve that purpose); I often joke that you could say your name is Barack Obama and they wouldn't care.

It is normally not possible to get a new residence card just to get a new photograph, ask the embassy of the relevant country.

People change and that is something normal.

Asking a new card because you ``lost`` the card means you need to go to the police station to inform and than you need to go to immigration. Great option (not)

What does it matter you have changed. When arrived in Japan the first time your finger prints are taken and picture have been token. Every time you leave Japan you have to do this process over again.

For domestic flight they just ask for the ticket confirmation. I have been traveling a lot inside Japan and never had any issue with my pictures.

My passport and resident card picture are different me. This is something you really don`t have to worry about. Just wait till you can renew your card.

Anyway don`t worry and don`t do stupid. If you really doubt just contact immigration directly with this question.

Lol, justmyday relax. I wasn't going to do anything stupid.
I was just asking a legit concern I had based on all my coworkers and friends suggestions.

I know someone who visits Japan on a regular basis, and one year to the next he lost weight so much that the photo on his passport looks completely different from himself now. Once when he came through immigration (not Japan though), the officer looked at him and the photo repeatedly to make sure it was him, but the question that came out of her mouth was "How did you do that?" :) People do change, so no worries. And no worries on domestic flights within Japan at all.

Not sure why japan-guide edited out the part of my message where I said that one way to get a new residence card was to damage or "lose" it and apply for a replacement, just because someone said it was "stupid" (when that person routinely says stupid things themselves, mind). Doing so is not illegal, which is all that matters.

Plus they didn't even do it properly, now "ask the embassy of the relevant country" should read " for the passport, ask the embassy of the relevant country."

Don`t do stupid is a prefixed here to emphasize the ease and the effortlessness by which the other is willing to give advise.

because someone is not looking like passport picture or resident card does not mean you need to throw away to get a new one.

@Firas
Maybe you don`t know well but a passport/resident card as a valid date. So your suggestion is if you don`t look like the picture than just pretend you lost the card. To get a new one you need to do effort. Better to wait till renewal date.

I guess you like to make people worried for nothing.